Unlike Gareth, I didn’t contribute, but I’m going to cheerfully quote their list in full anyway.

This list is somewhat US centric. But as the US legislature is the main large proponent of ostrich tactics (ie sticking their head in a nice warm place and denying anything is happening), this is probably appropiate. Tim Groser and the National party have made the NZ government the primary small first world proponent of the same stupid short-term thinking.

1 Super Storm Sandy

Super Storm Sandy, a hybrid of Hurricane Sandy (and very much a true hurricane up to and beyond its landfall in the Greater New York/New Jersey area) was an important event for several reasons. First, the size and strength of the storm bore the hallmarks of global warming enhancement. Second, its very unusual trajectory was caused by a climatic configuration that was almost certainly the result of global warming. The storm would likely not have been as big and powerful as it was, nor would it have likely struck land where it did were it not for the extra greenhouse gasses released by humans over the last century and a half or so.

A third reason Sandy was important is the high storm surge that caused unprecedented and deadly flooding in New York and New Jersey. This surge was made worse by significant global warming caused sea level rise. Sea level rise has been eating away at the coasts for years and has probably caused a lot of flooding that otherwise would not have happened, but this is the first time a major event widely noticed by the mainstream media (even FOX news) involving sea level rise killed a lot of people and did a lot of damage. Fourth, Sandy was an event, but Sandy might also be the “type specimen” for a new kind of storm. It is almost certainly true that global warming Enhanced storms like Sandy will occur more frequently in the future than in the past, but how much more often is not yet known. We will probably have to find out the hard way.

Note that the first few of the links below are to blog posts written by concerned climate scientists, whom the climate change denialists call “alarmists.” You will note that these scientists and writers were saying alarming things as the storm approached. You will also note that what actually happened when Sandy struck was much worse than any of these “alarmists” predicted in one way or another, in some cases, in several ways. This then, is the fifth reason that Sandy is important: The Earth’s weather system (quite unconsciously of course) opened a big huge can of “I told you so” on the climate science denialist world. Sandy washed away many lives, a great deal of property and quite a bit of shoreline. Sandy also washed away a huge portion of what remained of the credibility of the climate science denialist lobby.

3 The Polar Ice Caps and other ice features experienced extreme melting this year.

This year, Arctic sea ice reached a minimum in both extent (how much of the sea is covered during the Arctic summer) and more importantly, total ice volume, reaching the lowest levels in recorded history.

4 Sea Ice Loss Changes Weather …

We also increasingly recognized that loss of Arctic sea ice affects Northern Hemisphere weather patterns, including severe cold outbreaks and storm tracks. This sea ice loss is what set up the weather pattern mentioned above that steered Sandy into the US Northeast, as well as extreme cold last winter in other areas.

5 and 6 Two major melting events happened in Greenland this summer.

First, the total amount of ice that has melted off this huge continental glacier reached a record high, with evidence that the rate of melting is not only high, but much higher than predicted or expected. This is especially worrying because the models climatologists use to predict ice melting are being proven too optimistic. Second, and less important but still rather spectacular, was the melting of virtually every square inch of the surface of this ice sheet over a short period of a few days during the hottest part of the summer, a phenomenon observed every few hundred years but nevertheless an ominous event considering that it happened just as the aforementioned record ice mass loss was being observed and measured.

7 Massive Ice islands…

…were formed when the Petermann Glacier of northern Greenland calved a massive piece of its floating tongue, and it is likely that the Pine Island Glacier (West Antarctica) will follow suit this Southern Hemisphere summer. Also, this information is just being reported and we await further evaluation. As summer begins to develop in the Southern Hemisphere, there may be record warmth there in Antarctica. That story will likely be part of next year’s roundup of climate-related woes.

8 More Greenhouse Gasses than Ever

Even though the rate of emissions of greenhouse gasses slowed down temporarily for some regions of the world, those gasses stay in the air after they are released, so this year greenhouse gas levels reached new record high levels

9 It Got Hot

As expected, given the greenhouse gases just mentioned, Record Breaking High Temperatures Continue, 2012 is one of the warmest years since the Age of the Dinosaurs. We’ll wait until the year is totally over to give you a rank, but it is very, very high.

14 River Traffic Stops

A very rare event caused by drought conditions was the closing of the Mississippi River to traffic in mid-summer at two locations. This is part of a larger and growing problem involving drought, increased demands for water, and the importance of river traffic. Expect to hear more about this over the next couple of years.

14 Very, very bad storms.

In June, a major and very scary derecho event – a thunderstorm and tornado complex large enough to get its own Wikipedia entry – swept across the country. This was one of several large storm systems that caused damage and death in the US this year. There were also large and unprecedented sandstorms in Asia and the US.

16 Widespread Tree Mortality is underway and is expected to worsen.

17 Biodiversity is mostly down…

We continue to experience, and this will get worse, great Losses in Biodiversity especially in Oceans, much of that due to increased acidification because of the absorption of CO2 in seawater, and overfishing.

Many of us who contributed to this list feel that this is potentially the most important of all of the stories, partly because it ties together several other events. Also, it may be that a change in the air currents caused by global warming represents a fundamental yet poorly understood shift in climate patterns. The steering of Hurricane Sandy into the New York and New Jersey metro areas, the extreme killer cold in Eastern Europe and Russia, the “year without a Spring” and the very mild winters, some of the features of drought, and other effects may be “the new normal” owing to a basic shift in how air currents are set up in a high-CO2 world. This December, as we compile this list, this effect has caused extreme cold in Eastern Europe and Russia as well as floods in the UK and unusually warm conditions in France. As of this writing well over 200 people have died in the Ukraine, Poland and Russia from cold conditions. As an ongoing and developing story we are including it provisionally on this list. Two blog posts from midyear of 2011 and 2012 (this one and this one) cover some of this.

The following video provides an excellent overview of this problem:

19 The first climate denial “think” tank to implode as a result of global warming…

… suffered major damage this year. The Heartland Institute, which worked for many years to prove that cigarette smoking was not bad for you, got caught red handed trying to fund an effort explicitly (but secretly) designed to damage science education in public schools. Once caught, they tried to distract attention by equating people who thought the climate science on global warming is based on facts and is not a fraud with well-known serial killers, using large ugly billboards. A large number of Heartland Institute donors backed off after this fiasco and their credibility tanked in the basement. As a result, the Heartland Institute, which never was really that big, is now no longer a factor in the climate change discussion. We failed to drive the wooden stake through Heartland’s heart when it was down. While Heartland has lost much of their funding and Corporate support Heartland’s Anti-Science Syndrome Hatred Of a Livable Economic System voices still get soapboxes in traditional media =91 balance=92 articles and otherwise. Learning how to pound in the wooden stake has merit.

The other significant finding is that solar forcing will add another 0.18°C warming on top of greenhouse warming between 2007 (we’re currently at solar minimum) to the solar maximum around 2012. In other words, solar forcing will double the amount of global warming over the next five to six years.

There isn’t enough information about exactly how the high energy events impacting the top of the atmosphere translate into weather and climate patterns, we’d really need to observe a 1859 event with modern instrumentation. However statistically from the observed data it is apparent that it does.

The flow on effects are likely to be some rather traumatic weather in the north as the climate adjusts to having no fridge up north.

But fortunately it looks like we won’t have to suffer a El Nino at the same time. The forecast is for a welcome neutral climate effect from the El Niño/Southern Oscillation this coming year, and probably for a few years.

Time we put our need to have “stuff” behind us . Time to have a government that is supposed to protect its people from itself ,for the greater good not individual self enrichment .100 million years of evolution. and we have achieved a level of self indulgence that will not give our grand children a future that is as good as ours ? I watched the climate debate in parliament .If you did, you will know who our leaders of the future are. AND GOOD LUCK TO THEM.

Sure, we will have to both protect dolphins and shorten dole queues, which is what you will be expecting from the title of this speech.

But actually, the nature of this crisis is far deeper and more fundamental than the standard environment-economy trade-off thinking might suppose. The coming crisis threatens more than just marine biodiversity. The species we are trying to save could be our own.

It was an excellent speech from Cunliffe, but no more prominent or visible to the general public than the Green Party MP speeches (in and out of the House, questions for oral answer, and press releases on climate change over the last couple of years.

It was an excellent speech from Cunliffe, but no more prominent or visible to the general public than the Green Party MP speeches…

karol

I disagree. This was a signature speech, in that it came from a (until recently) prominent front row Labour Party MP. As such it’s significance cannot be underrated.

David Cunliffe is a Labour Member of Parliament, which is New Zealand’s traditional alternate ruling party, meaning his words carry so much more significance. (embued as they were at the time of the possibility of they’re becoming government policy).

I doubt there has been a more prominent and visible speech of greater significance from any New Zealander, inside or outside of parliament on climate change. (Not least because at the time it was given prominence in The Standard).

I can see why cunliffe got demoted, realist honest poli who is bold staing time for a new direction a system change, a new way, time for the beltway to provide some leadership.
Shall we start the bring back cunliffe club

“You ask, what is our aim?
I can answer in one word.
It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.”

My ten cents worth! It’s such an immense issue one feels like a pygmy in addressing it. I’m no expert but looking at all the reports on the Internet about Climate Change, Yes it’s happening and its worsening. This is a catastrophe for the whole biosphere : People, Plants, animals everyone. The organising principle explaining how and why is Gaia formulated by Lovelock. The Climate is potentially dangerously changeable and the action of the whole biosphere has been to stabilise atmospheric composition to facilitate all life by sequesterring Co2 in the form of coal, gas and oil over hundreds of millions of years. We have upset that balance and triggered a positive feedback by digging up said carbon reserves and burning them for energy to power our lifestyles.

I’m not worried on one level cause I’m 64 and don’t have children and won’t be around for the forecasted high average temps by 2030 2050 etc. But nevertheless I’m saddened I’d like to leave this World knowing that all its life has a rosy future of benign stability, yeh I’m a European romantic who grew up with Beethoven, Mahler, Wagner all of whom expressed intense spirituality in the natural World.
The World is everything, without it we would not exist one second. Again so sad we have abused it so and now it’s too late we’ll have to suffer the consequences along with the trees animals plants and all other life forms, it is a true tragedy of immense scale. As Jesus said “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”.

What you say is true for you, johnm, is true for everyone. An immense issue requires an immense response.

New Zealand led the world on votes for women,
New Zealand led the world on Social Welfare,
We led the world in opposing apartheid sport,
We led the world in opposing nuclear weapons,
What other country is better positioned to tackle climate change?

Jenny.. We are so well positioned to be the example to our fellow man. As you noted and more. NZ is a new nation ,we haven’t destroyed enough yet, to not change . The Hobbit would have nothing on our ability to earn a living with this as our hallmark . Passion in a leader is a prerequisite ..

“…the size and strength of the storm bore the hallmarks of …” Hurricane Donna of 1960, Hurricane Carol of 1954, the Great New England Hurricane of 1938, the New York Hurricane of 1893, and the Norfolk and Long Island Hurricane of 1821.

Thankfully few died thanks to most people’s access to personal cars and good roads. If the warmists had had their way, taxed people out of their cars, and the victims were reliant on public transport (which was the first to fall over) thousands would have died.

Missing the point . maybe if we the rich had space ships . we could run away with are middle finger raised in a salute .While the 350,000 Bangladeshi etc wave goodbye and say thank you……… We as one planet spend billions on science and all we do is say this cannot be true cos my back paddock is fine .

I don’t think the first paragraph of the comment above you misses the point at all,

A super-storm, mega-hurricane or what-ever you want to call it hits New York which is unusual, BUT, that’s just weather, if in the next 5-10 years New York were to become a regular victim to such storms then that is definitely a change in the weather pattern,

”bears all the hall-marks of the New York hurricane of 1893”, Global climate change??? not if it’s a one off, once in a 100 years weather event???, quite possibly…

you might like to read thishttp://www.skepticalscience.com/hurricane-sandy-climate-connection.html
basically it looks at how AGW amplfied the storms impact. Whilst the other extreme weather events of the past all had devastating essentially localised impacts, Sandy was unique in a number of ways, including:
a. and exceptionally low air pressure,
b. a record breaking storm surge.
c amongst the most highest energy levels of all tropical cyclones on record at 222 trillion Joules – about 3.5 Hiroshima Bombs.

Steve Wrathall you would know having your head buried in the sand or up yours so deeply you are’nt even in the loop you remind me of that very good drama ‘ life on Mars’ .
Your thinking is not evidence based as with those dinosaur cops who just bullied everyone into submission to get a conviction!
The latest research coming out of the US,s Antarctic scientific research shows the Antarctic ice shelf is melting by up to 1/3 or in your language one tird!
Keep it up your a dying breed of dinosaur denialist that puts forward pathetic evidence that has no scientific backing!
Their have been more large severe cyclones hitting a wider area of the US since 1998 than in the previous 200 years corresponding with the massive exponential increase of human created greenhouse gases.

Yes Steve where well aware things have happened before, if you had been paying any attention at all you would know this is how we now know that because of fools like you we are on track to change the plant at a speed at which the human race won’t be able to adapt.

There was also very bizarre weather so far this Northern Hemisphere winter in Europe and Eurasia.

In parts of Central Europe it was before Christmas so unusually warm, so that they had 20 degrees C in Munich, over 15 degrees in Berlin and similarly mild temperatures on one day, so people were out in summerwear and beer-gardens in Munich opened to crowds.

Just a thousand or so kms to the east, it was a totally different situation, where in Russia, Ukraine and the Balkans it was so freezing cold like it had not been for decades, in some places not for over a hundred years. Many froze to death, some had to vacate uninhabitable cold homes, traffic came to a standstill, and in Siberia they had up to 60 degrees C minus.

The last winter in NZ was quite cold for a change, and as far as I heard, it was largely due to massive amounts of bits of melted ice from the warmer Antarctic floating around the Sub Antarctic oceans for months, leading to cooler seawater temperatures. It was a bit like cocktail ice in a drink, I suppose.

Massive changes lie ahead for coming centuries, and generally it will get warmer, sea level will surely rise, but in other areas it may also get colder than usual. Rainfall and snowfall will vary, freak storms will occur, and we just had another one over Samoa a couple of weeks ago, being very destructive.

Remember also the higher number of small, suddenly occuring “twisters” in Auckland and other places in New Zealand now.

But who actually does adjust their lifestyles, who drives less, who starts cycling or using public transport. Yes, some do, but most are too comfy with what they do and will not change until they are forced to, grudgingly, that is the main problem, especially here in car mad NZ.

Hah, I am living a very frugal life, do all to conserve energy, as much as I can, have not had a car for years now, and use public transport.

So, yes, my turn did come many, many years ago, I am waiting for the hundreds of thousands of others around me to follow, but whom I see day in and out to carry on, as if there is no problem to worry about at all.

Isolated individual responses, though commendable, will likely have little effect. This crisis, probably more than any other in history, requires collective action coordinated by the state. Before the enormity and the scale of this problem, individuals are powerless.

I will try to give a long answer your question the best I can in the short time before I have to go to my slavey job. I will have to do this in two parts. The following essay, is part 1/.

This is the first part, in which I will try and argue for what we should do.

The second part on how we can achieve this. To follow at some time in the near future.

Part 1 What should we do?

To understand the best possible course of action we could take. We need to look at the problem realistically, and then break it down. We need to identify the one thing we could do, that would make the biggest possible difference.

NASA planetary science and climate director, James Hansen has identified coal as “the single greatest threat to civilization and all life on our planet.”

That “symbolic” impact, needs to be something big, something great, something that will grab the world’s attention.

New Zealand needs to become the first country in the world to completely ban coal.

Becoming the first, first world country to ban coal will have an impact on the world, that no population or political leaders in countries finding themselves ravaged by drought or superstorms could ignore.

People would demand if they can do it, Why can’t we?

We need to make it illegal to use coal, we need to make it illegal to mine coal, we need to make it a criminal offence to trade in coal. To invest in coal, to import it and most importantly to export it.

Is this too extreme?

Not at all. We had once in this country, a huge and thriving asbestos industry, directly employing hundreds of workers. A lot of New Zealand houses were clad in asbestos sheeting known as Hardie Planks and there was a thriving export market in it, (mainly to the island nations). New Zealand had open cast asbestos mines and factories supplying this industry.

It is now completely illegal to mine, to trade, to import, to export asbestos. And not just here but around the world.

Coal arguably kills and will kill more than asbestos.

On this basis it is hardly an extreme argument to call for it’s complete eradication and banning.

If global warming was a population problem, then you’d have a point. But it isn’t. It’s a resource use problem. Most of the world’s population doesn’t contribute much in the way of carbon emissions. Car drivers do. People who fly in planes do. People with homes full of electrical gizmos do. People involved in varioous production and service industries do. When it’s broken down, it becomes clear that the resource use of a fairly small proportion of the world’s population lies at the heart of the problem. You could exterminate billions of people and not make any difference to carbon levels at all. Or you could radically alter the profligate lifestyles of a minority of the world’s population (probably inclusive of you and me) and stop this shit in its tracks.

….Climate change has the ability to undo your historic victories and crush your present struggles. So it’s time to come together, for real, and fight to preserve and extend what you care most about — which means engaging in the climate fight, really engaging, as if your life and your life’s work, even life itself, depended on it. Because they do.

SHG‘s misanthropic spite brings to mind Bob Dylan’s words condemning the elites:“You throw the worst fear that can ever be hurled. The fear to bring children into the world.”

Of course access to safe reliable birth control and contraception and sex education should be part of the mix. No rational human being could deny it. But, as Bill so ably points out, pointing to overpopulation as the root cause of climate change, is a deeply cynical ploy that lets those really responsible for climate change out of the dock and frames those least responsible.

Jenny: Problem is, the people, the sum of individuals who bother to cast their votes, they put governments into place, who then run the state sectors and agencies.

As I mention in some comments below, poorly informed people, not served well by media, manipulated, ill-informed and seduced by political players, who just want voters to put themselves into power – on promises nothing that will hurt them will be done, such people as voters actually keep the status quo!

Fact is: Most people want to keep things as they are, so they can drive in cars everywhere, do not pay more for petrol, can maintain their quarter acre lifestyles, and they do NOT want to pay extra taxes for implementing what needs to be done.

So awareness must change, information must be presented and communicated, education is needed, and that is not happening enough.

Even with that, I fear, most will not want to get rid of their cars, most won’t want to use buses or trains, and in the end, people are likely to only change, when prices for petrol and else will force them to change.

Foresight is not what I see much of, whether in individuals or as a collective measure.

The stand-out words in your above description of the cold in Russia,Ukraine, and, the Balkans, would have to be, ”it was so freezing cold like it hasn’t been for decades, in some places not for 100 years”,

I only picked that current extreme weather in Eurasia for an example, as it is fresh information. It was either last summer, or before, where in Eastern Europe it was also unbelievably extremely hot, due to a severe heatwave, which caused droughts, destroyed much crops, led to a grain export ban in Russia, killed hundreds and which was very unusual also.

Heatwaves, same as the odd extremely cold weather, have become much more frequent there, but on average, the extremes are more towards the heatwaves, less so the freezing cold weather extremes. That clearly indicates more proof of global warming.

It is happening all over the world, that is in Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, Australia, and also, but maybe a bit less so, in South America and in New Zealand.

Selective views which serve my position, what position is that???, seeing as i have indicated no position either way you have in your own mind assigned me to a position that i may or may not hold,

The recent New York ‘super-storm’ while unusual is not an unheard of occurrence,as i said above, IF in the next decade New York regularly attracts similar storms then that would definitely indicate ‘climate change’,

The recent Samoan ‘super-storm’ is entirely ‘normal’ for the area, Samoa being the direct recipient of such storms on a irregular basis that averages out to 3 such events a decade,

The ‘climate’ on the Planet Earth has always changed, from ice-age to no ice-age has been a repetitive event over millions of years and i have never attempted to refute such,

The difference being that where you (appear) to believe that man can and does have a marked effect upon such changes to the climate i am less than convinced…

From your comments so far I can certainly come to conclude, that your “position” is that of a climate change or global warming SCEPTIC.

Hence my comments. Being a sceptic is to me a position of sorts, even if it may leave open a clear positioning like “pro” or “against” at present, it certainly means you so far throw doubt on actually increasingly proved scientific evidence.

And I am convinced that man has due to the unprecedented use of fossil fuels and resultant pollution a serious impact on global climate, but I concede, that may not be the only reason for all the changes discussed here. At least it substantially aggravates the changes towards global warming.

Nope, i am in no way a SCEPTIC as far as climate change goes, as i said it,(climate), always has and always will,(change that is),

What does amuse me is the constant ‘we are doomed’ attitude of those who adhere to the ‘man made global warming’ theory, (IF the West Antarctic ice-sheets melt it will be a FACT),

There’s a sense of desperation in the fact that every weather event, be it German heatwave or New York super-storm is roped in, mixed with totally emotive language such as the power of X number of Hiroshima bombs and then applied to ‘climate change’ as part of the gospel of proof,

Since time began the climate has delivered a chaotic pattern and within such chaos there have been through the ages ‘events’ without rhyme or reason which occur and then are not repeated,

Our own Cyclone Bola, possibly the most damaging storm to have hit this country since modern records have been gathered being a case in point,

Like you i use electricity and fossil fuels extremely sparingly, my rubbish to landfill equates to 1 supermarket shopping bag every 2 weeks and the rest is either recycled or buried as compost in my very large garden, as far as my personal responsibility goes that is pretty much the limit of what i can personally achieve in an effort to personally not generate CO2 to the atmosphere,

However, i see no real evidence of extreme climate change effects of an ongoing nature here in New Zealand, just the odd piece of weather chaos that is extreme but as yet not of an ongoing nature so as to be described as climate change,

At most as far as climate change effects go my ‘feeling’ is that the volume of rain that falls upon our wee islands has increased somewhat but over the 5 odd years that such an increase has become manifest,(in my thinking at least), this is hardly catastrophic and may only be indication of a slight movement of weather patterns…

“However, i see no real evidence of extreme climate change effects of an ongoing nature here in New Zealand, just the odd piece of weather chaos that is extreme but as yet not of an ongoing nature so as to be described as climate change…”

Little NZ is a drop in the ocean as a land mass, surrounded largely by a vast ocean, and on the west by the Tasman Sea.

So this makes usually for very changeable day to day weather patterns, but as the seawater is always a kind of “stabilising factor” or “cushioning” temperature and precipitation changes, NZ is not as severely affected as larger landmasses.

As for extreme climate events always having occurred, yes that is correct, but look at historic frequencies of specific types, a long term trend and look at research of Arctic and Antarctic sample drills collecting organic and inorganic matter that has been researched for decades now.

From that scientists have been able to establish past warm and cold periods, same as by looking at fossilised trees and other stuff.

Scientists overwhelmingly back up, what this story by lprent is all about!

However, i see no real evidence of extreme climate change effects of an ongoing nature here in New Zealand, just the odd piece of weather chaos that is extreme but as yet not of an ongoing nature so as to be described as climate change,

Agreed, NZ has the advantage of being nestled in oceans and between several ocean currents (warm and cold) that moderate the effects of climate change on our land mass massively. We also have the worlds biggest cooling device just south of us. You could have the average world temperature go up by 6 degrees over the next century (my guesstimate), and only see a change of ~1.5-2.0 degrees C here with the associated climate shifts from west to east. We will get some sea level changes over the next century that will probably mostly affect people silly enough to build on cliffs, foreshore dunes, and reclaimed land. Unless as you say the WAIS melts and we suddenly have Remuera island – but it is slow moving and unlikely to cause problems.

However NZ is highly orientated to both import and export, doesn’t have the ability to provide all of the economic or even nutritional (think selenium for instance) requirements that we need. FFS while we can provide enough meat and dairy to give 50 million people a very high protein diet, I’ll bet that we can’t provide them with enough grain carbohydrates.

And think about that word “average”. It means that if we get 2C here then some other area of the world is getting 10. That somewhere will probably be somewhere we depend upon. Like somewhere that provides us with ethernet chips…

The jet streams ( or at least the expectations) are that AGW or at least the GHG will send the jet streams poleward( in the annular mode we see the subtropical jet move poleward by 20 degrees latitude) in the SH the poleward excursions are forced mostly by the o3 forcing.

Recent observations show both the effects of a topographical landscape and the meandering rivers of the landscape,( as a rule of thumb 15 Dobson units is around 1c.)

…weather is ruled by the vagaries of stochastic fluctuations, while climate is not. Imagine a pot of boiling water. A weather forecast is like the attempt to predict where the next bubble is going to rise (physically this is an initial value problem). A climate statement would be that the average temperature of the boiling water is 100ºC at normal pressure, while it is only 90ºC at 2,500 meters altitude in the mountains, due to the lower pressure

That was weather, not scotch mist. You shoud really learn to distinguish the difference.

Climate is a statistical accumulation of weather. Statistically we are currently showing a marked trend in having a trend towards more extreme weather in different locations that is consistent with having more energy in the atmosphere and oceans driving climate changes.

So in the case of Russia, the probability of having a similar cold snap or heat wave has probably declined from once a century to something like once a decade because of shifts in the jetstreams

Of course, Scotch Mist being my facetious reply, my view supported somewhat by the quote ”It was so freezing cold like it hasn’t been for decades”, in the comment which was at the heart of my comment is that such ‘freezing cold’ temperatures have been pretty much the norm for the area,

The ‘heatwave’ seems to be more of an abnormality, and, given their continuation on an annual, semi-annual basis would definitely indicate ‘climate change’ so it will be an interesting watch…

Of greater importance is the wettest year on record was a mere 12 years ago and four of the top five wettest years have occurred since then.

Analysis by the Met Office also suggests that the UK may be getting increasingly wetter as climate change causes warmer air to carry more water. Days of extreme rainfall – downpours expected once every 100 days – occurred every 70 days in 2012…

…”Rainfall has increased in recent decades over many parts of the northern hemisphere and we’re seeing rain falling in heavier bursts,” said Prof Nigel Arnell, at the University of Reading. “The sort of wet winters we currently see over northern Europe just once every 20 years could happen almost every other year by the end of the century

To get the message about the seriousness of climate change and other major issues across to all people in the public, who are ultimately going to vote governments in and out, perhaps a resolute, innovative step needs to be taken, by introducing a mandatory code of conduct in regards to news delivery by all public and private media.

The media should be compelled to report scientific details also to any such freak and extreme weather events, by getting competent, balanced and widely respected scientists to give their side to causes of weather changes, to crimes being committed and reported on, to social problems like homelessness, poverty, truancy of school children, poor nutrition, on pollution, on pests coming into the country, and what else comes to mind.

If any media is not living up to report competently and offer such essential, additional, scientifically based and proved information also, then they should be warned, sanctioned, punished by way of fines, or in too many repeat offences, in the case of broadcasters, lose their licence, in the case of other media have other rights or licences revoked.

Of course it may be hard to enforce, but while there are all kinds of laws, regulations, rules and codes brought in for all kinds of other aspects of our lives, why can something like this not be done?

This lack of public awareness, that is still very wide spread is a major hindrance to achieve any progress. As long as the public are kept ignorant, only get presented sensationalistic news bits, little relevant back-ground information, and are thus not properly informed, such ruthless, irresponsible government as the one in power now, will be able to mislead the public, play on sentiment, promise security of existing life-styles and distort the truth, and then get voted in again.

The Greens are doing their bit of course, so are other organisations and groups, but without the media being held to account, nothing much will change, until it is too late.

Remember those scientists in Italy which were sanctioned via jail for not giving a fair outlook for the risk of earthquake in Italy.That was in my opinion was so wrong BUT . Various media and corporate interests keep negating climate science for commercial advantage .Is this a crime against humanity ?

Jenny: My comment above was just a thought about how to hold the media accountable for ensuring objective, fact based and informative reporting, rather than news snippets of sensationalistic, non-informative live casts and brief reports, that tell the viewers and listeners nothing about any likely reasons behind events, about long term trends and statistics.

In general I have repeatedly been criticising the media strongly, and this is mostly the mainstream media, for failing in their journalistic duties and professionalism.

It is the role of the media to play the so-called 4th estate role, to question, examine, research and challenge politicians, administrators, businesses and any kind of other organisations or persons. After doing that then comes the reporting!

We get virtually no investigative journalism anymore. Most journos are graduates from various journalism training courses, and many have studied no other specialist subjects giving them little or no expert knowledge and insight on areas that they may need to report on. It used to be common, and in a very limited way still is so with some larger media, that they had some journalists and reporters focus on specific areas. They used to be able to gather experience, insight and knowledge on matters from such areas, and hence would have been competent enough to ask the hard questions.

I see more and more very superficially educated and not specialised journalists. I even got feed-back from some well-knows ones, about why they would not dig deep anymore. They are not given the time, money and opportunity to research and write in-depth stories now. Many sit there, get endless press-releases, hash them up a bit and get that released as articles, opinions and so forth.

So how can you just blame the politicians and protect an increasingly useless “messenger”? The media should not just be the messenger, they should be the researcher, challenger and then also the “informer”, which they are no longer! They are rather the passers on of selective informations from press releases, the odd O.I.A., comments from some self-serving politicians and other persons, and nothing much else.

Of course this poor state of affairs shall not let the politicians off the hook. How can so poorly informed people out there then exercise their democratic rights to vote, being so appallingly served by all of these? We see the result around us.

In this I include the Green Party who have quite deliberately and consciously decided to down play climate change. For electoral gain, for cabinet seats, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.

Evidence, please? You keep repeating this distortion, Jenny. More Green MPs than Labour ones have been giving speches, press releases and asking questions about climate change than have Labour MPs.

The Greens have extended their main focus to include the fight against poverty and inequality with environmental issues, which includes climate issues.

Among other things that Norman and other Green MPs said and did re-climate change in the last year, in December, Russel Norman said:

The annual Climate Change Performance Index report, released this week at the international climate talks being held in Doha, evaluates and compares the climate protection performance of the countries that are together responsible for more than 90 percent of global energy-related CO2 emissions.

“Prime Minister John Key yesterday said ‘New Zealand can hold its head up high when it comes to climate change’ yet his actions are undermining our reputation and a new report shows we are not doing well,” Dr Norman said.

“The report ranks New Zealand as poor on its climate change performance; very poor for its emissions level; and very poor for climate policy.

“Those results are likely to be even worse next year given the National Government has gutted the Emissions Trading Scheme as a tool for reducing emissions, and has decided not to sign up for binding reductions under the Kyoto Protocol.

“The National Government’s position at international climate change talks in Doha is embarrassing. The National Government won’t sign up for binding emissions but it is asking to still be able to benefit from access to international carbon markets under the Kyoto Protocol.

Kennedy Graham on climate change in November 2012, and December 2012, a couple of the many statements, questions and speeches he made on the issue in and outside the House last year.

There is more than enough evidence to show that climate change is a poor third leg when it comes to policy planks by the Green Party.

Is this a “distortion”?

Karol talk to anyone in the know inside the Green Party and they will confirm to you that the Green Party deliberately decided to play down climate change at the last election. You won’t see it written down anywhere, but that is a fact. And all indications are, that the Greens will continue this policy into the next election.

Talk by Metiria Turia about the issue of climate change being “integrated” with all their other policies is just so much cynical green washing.

1) You keep shifting the goalposts. First you state the Green Party has “deliberately and consciously decided to down play climate change”, then suddenly it’s just “climate change is a poor third leg”. These aren’t the same thing at all, and back-pedalling your arguments in this way looks, well, kinda disingenuous.

2) You’re the one making the assertion that there has been a deliberate back-down on climate change by the Green Party. You need to back that up if you expect others to accept it. Telling karol that it’s her job to “talk to anyone in the know” is ignoring the burden of proof, which is on you, because you’re the one making the assertion.

Saying “oh it’s not written down anywhere but it’s obvious” is hardly a compelling argument, especially when other commenters like karol are producing a lot of links to a lot of Green Party activity on climate change.

You are just splitting hairs, QoT. “Third leg”, “down played”, What’s the difference? I only use different words to drive the point home. You can make a case out of it if you choose.

Karol has provided evidence that the Green Party occasionally make statements about climate change. Well so does every other political party to a greater or lesser degree.(with the possible exception of ACT) So what?

The Green Party deliberately decided to downplay climate change at the last election.

The Green Party are prepared to overlook their policy of opposition to new coal mines in exchange for cabinet positions.

The Green Party have a policy goal of making New Zealand coal free by 2020, but no program for getting there.

When the Greens refuse to challenge Labour over climate change in opposition, they are even less likely to do so in government with them. In the end the Greens will wind up supporting policies that they were set up to oppose.

This tragic political trajectory will destroy the Green Party. This is as inevitable as night follows day.

There are many historical examples of third parties that were destroyed in this manner.

The only question will be which one of these failed leaders will Russel Norman come closest to resemble?

Yes, the evidence over the last year indicates to me that the GP has kept on the environment and climate change case.

I am also pleased to see that have made a strong effort to foreground the issues of poverty, especially child poverty as part of their priorities. On the one hand they have Jenny saying they’ve dropped the climate change issues, on the other I’ve seen commenters on TS saying the GP is all middle-class blue-greenies.

Because they are first and foremost seen as being focused on environmental issues, I can see it may have needed a stronger effort to show Kiwis they are also strong on the anti-poverty issues, and on creating an economy that ensures a living wage for all. It doesn’t mean they have stopped focusing on climate change.

Karol in your post on Meteria Turei’s 2012 retrospective of the Green Party on TV3. After noting that climate change, (surely the biggest environmental issue of the year), was never mentioned. You wrote in an update, that Turei had later said on RNZ, “that green issues are integrated with their other policies.” Notice that Turei didn’t say “that climate change issues are integrated with their other policies.” I was tempted to listen right through the RNZ audio to check whether you had heard it right. As well as reading through all the other obscure links you have provided. But I then thought, why should I bother, no body else does. Certainly not the vast majority of the voting public.

Not until the Green Party start making bold policy addresses on climate change that can be captured in a single sound bite, will the voting public be aware that it is even an issue with them. Of course this is what the Green Party insiders I have talked to fear. Their fear is, (and they have argued it strongly) that raising the issue of climate change is a vote killer.

Does this mean the Greens have stopped focusing on climate change?

Undoubtedly! (despite what you and others say)

The Green Party are making a terrible mistake. And, where it might cost them votes in the short term, (which is disputable). In the long term it will see their disintegration as an electoral force. This is inevitable when you start betraying principle for electoral gain.

Just try to act surprised when it happens. (And remember if you can. You heard it here first),

” – I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion”

Control the media, and you control the discretion of the majority who don’t think too much about what’s really going on – until it directly impacts them!

By comparing reconstructions of atmospheric CO2 concentrations and sea level over the past 40 million years, researchers based at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton have found that greenhouse gas concentrations similar to the present (almost 400 parts per million) were systematically associated with sea levels at least nine metres above current levels.

You should read that to yourself again really slowly, IF throughout the history of climate sea levels were at least 9 meters higher than they are today when CO2 levels were at today’s levels then where are the corresponding sea-level rises today???,

Your argument actually points out that despite having CO2 levels that at other times in the Earths history of climate have seen sea-levels 9 meters higher than today’s there is no corresponding sea-level rise NOW despite the CO2 levels being as high as previously…

The effect of the concentration of CO2 on the environment is a lagging indicator of approximately 50 years.

What we are experiencing now is, essentially, the results of the CO2 concentration of the 1960s-1970s… the real worry is when we start hitting the middle of this century. We can only hope that we do enough to avert the disaster… it is part of the reason why they use the 1990 levels as a baseline for where they want to get back to.

It is doing just that, at a pace that virtually all scientific projections have under-estimated.

So I am sure there will be some big surprises coming within the next 20 to 50 years, and they will not be pleasant ones.

I just wonder, whether any developers, councils and others involved, who are wanting to spend billions on water-front developments in many large cities worldwide, which includes Auckland of course, have given sufficient considerations to what will come.

With so much enthusiasm about water-front projects in Downtown Auckland and so, I fear millions, yes billions will be spent on projects that will in not too distant a future be under water again, or in danger of regular flooding.

Hahahaha, because it can both be underground and under water at the same time – like there are tunnels going through underneath lakes, bays and so forth also (in other places)!?

I am also not sure, whether it is “the left” in general who may favour a rail tunnel in Auckland, as the may be some on “the left” who may prefer other public transport options.

But good try, to move onto another topic here, when you run out of arguments.

Surely not “all” will go under water in Downtown Auckland, but the waterfront will partly be, and there will be higher risk of flooding, which though can and will be possible to deal with by building flood guards and dams, like they do in the Netherlands.

One must fairly ask though, will the costs be justified and will it be paid for and done?

Auckland land above the water level actually rises steadily when moving away from the waterfront and up Queen Street, Albert Street and so forth.

Change the subject??? your lacking a little comprehension skills, YOU brought up the subject of building stuff in Auckland,

Given that there are many that take it as Gospel that the West Antarctic ice-sheet WILL melt protecting an underground piece of infrastructure such as the proposed Auckland inner city rail loop would need such ‘protection to be at least 9 meters high’,

Your little Hahaha’s signal you are amused,perhaps you would care to share???

I invite you to take another closer look at the 7m sea-level rise map linked to at 6.1.1 above.

It’s not just Auckland; half of Christchurch east of Fitzgerald Ave is submerged, Petone, Alicetown and much of Lower Hutt (along with the aquifer that supplies much of the city’s water), the Hutt motorway and rail link, all the reclaimed land in central Wellington … all gone. Examples of this all over the place.

While 7m rise only affects a tiny percentage of our total land-mass; because so many of our critical assets are either at or below sea-level … the impact is huge.

Given that there are many that take it as Gospel that the West Antarctic ice-sheet WILL melt

Not so much Gospel; but based on actual evidence. I personally know some of the guys involved in the ANDRILL Project. These are the people who actually DO the field work, who put in the enormous amount of time, skill and dedication to get REAL data.

“I was particularly impressed with Turei’s focus on child poverty, and the need for a more fair and equal society….

“However, on the debit side. Turei did not once mention the urgent matter of climate change.

For an environmental party this is unacceptable. This is not an oversight, this is a deliberate and glaring omission.
It is obvious that in exchange for cabinet positions in the next government – Green Party leaders are preparing to give away Green Party opposition to Labour Party policies that will worsen climate change.

“It is obvious that in exchange for cabinet positions in the next government – Green Party leaders are preparing to give away Green Party opposition to Labour Party policies that will worsen climate change” ….. .. Is this labour direction on climate then ?

Jenny, you are quoting very selectively to support your personal vendetta against the Green Party. that link to the 3 News report was a Gower beat-up. The Greens weren’t asking for those cabinet positions, and it was all Patrick Gower’s selection of portfolios for the Green MPs – Gower ignored climate change and allocated the portfolios to Green MPs according to his priorities.

And please stop quoting me selectively. See also my references to other statements by Green MPs above @9.06am.

This is one reason I (as a Green and green activist for years) don’t want Shearer as the next PM. I have no confidence that he would take us towards the change we need.

Cunliffe I doubt less, almost entirely on the basis of the comment he made about Plimsoll in that speech, which signaled a willingness to serve conflict and take on vested interests in the public and long term good. I lack such a signal from Shearer (though would happily listen to one).

The Second World War was not fought to defeat fascism: it was fought to decide which group of fascists (American-British and their offshoots, or German-Italian-Japanese) would dominate the world. The international bankers would have been quite happy whatever the result.

As things stand we live in a faux democracy in which the money lenders and corporations decide what policy will be, and bought-and-paid-for liars and hypocrites pretend to govern while they facilitate meltdown of the planet. Money is created out of thin air and interest is charged on it. Most of that money is used to destroy the environment, both in the present and in the future. Add to that catastrophic predicament overshoot of human population by a factor of at least tenfold and we see what a mess we are in. And the general populace are oblivious, since they are distracted and entertained in the short term by the blather of nonsense that comes from mainstream media and various government agencies.

Yes, having looked at some old British newspapers in archives kept at libraries, and having read some articles from before the 2nd World War (from the time between the two great wars), I cam across some fairly blunt and derogative references to coloured and black people, jews and others, indeed, I wondered where all that talk about fighting for freedom and democracy really came from, when Churchill and others held speeches to motivate people to fight the Nazis.

Of course the Nazis in Germany were extreme, totally criminal racists committing the worst of crimes, but they were not the only racists around then. The Brits also still tried to hang onto many colonies after the 2nd WW, same as the French and a few others did, naturally without success.

Fascism has many faces, but boils down to some core similarities.

And the large banks in German controlled Europe, same as large manufacturing and other sector corporations, they were quite happy to work with Hitler and his government.

So wars are naturally also much about economic and strategic interests, in most cases nothing much else to be honest.

And “democracy” as we have it also only allows a bit of selected “freedoms”, which are increasingly being restricted. Economic interests of key players dictate to a large degree, what a government can (is allowed) to do, and what the people themselves can influence.

The same applies to questions about climate, global warming and natural disasters resulting from this. Populations are seen as “markets”, and the unsustainable growth still happening worldwide, that is treated irresponsibly also, as the business sectors only look at more customers, not more costs and strains on resources.

The day will come where the system will inevitably collapse, not in one big drama, but bit by bit, so the affected interest groups and populations will fight for survival against each other. Nothing good to look forward to, I must say, no matter how much may be tried to solve all these issues.

“I have two great enemies, the southern army in front of me and the financial institutions, in the rear. Of the two, the one in the rear is the greatest enemy….. I see in the future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of the war.” – Abraham Lincoln

MrSmith, belief and world view has always been more important to the direction of human civilisation than ‘the facts’ and ‘the evidence’. I don’t think there is any reason to believe that this is going to change at this point in history.

Spirit or no spirit, it seems to be interpretation of the emotional state of mind of humans, which can change dramatically, same as human behaviour in general, human thinking, human values.

There have been societies where cannibalism was considered acceptable, where polygamy, where slavery, where anarchy, totalitarism, communism, pacifism, vegetariansim and many other behaviours or lifestyles were quite “acceptable”. That should tell us something about “human nature” or “spirit”, even, which may not be the same, but as history proves, can change considerably over time and separately in different geographic and social areas.

What happens in Iran is accepted or put up by most, what happens here is similarly accepted or endured, what happens in Egypt, Cuba, Colombia, Europe, the US or whereever, most humans get used to, accept or endure, fall in line and do whatever the rest do, being a “social animal”.

Humans are actually able to learn, adapt, change and adjust much more than any other species, hence the right has never been “right” and proved that “socialism” or “communism” would and could not work, as it contradicts the very proof of so diverse human societies in history, abilities of humans to change and adjust and much more. There seems to be not absolute “right” or “wrong”.

We must be eternally grateful to live in New Zealand, climate wise.
It rained last year, its rained this year, and it will rain next year, and the years after that.
We can be certain of that.
Rain makes things like grass grow, from which cattle can make milk and meat, sheep can make meat and wool, fruit trees can flourish annually dramatically, and snow brings in overseas paying skiers too.
Many other countries in the world would love our rain, and warmth for simple sustenance.
A Happy New Year to look forward to with our weather – no rain for much of Australia – 40c + temperatures – Bush Fires out of control.
Serious floods when rain comes as ground so dry it just runs off.

47 per cent of Queensland had average maximum temperatures, with 19 per cent below average, mainly in the north through to the central and central coast regions.
49 per cent of Queensland had below average minimum temperatures.
Applethorpe in the Granite Belt had the coolest nights and was the coolest place in the state on average overall.

50% of all years are below average. This means that under normal circumstances that 50% of the years would be less than the average.

Now if the tempatures were rising (in a freakish artificial way) by 1% per year then that would still mean that ~49% of the next year relative to the previous decades average would be ‘below average’. And in a decade ~40% of any year would be..

Surely even a climate illiterate like yourself can figure out how silly your statement looks… What were you thinking?

Since its election to power in 2008, the John Key led National Ltd™ government:

has been caught out repeatedly lying in the run up to and during the election campaign about its real intentions in relation to the environment

celebrated the opening of the foreign-owned Pike River Coal Ltd mine on DOC land adjacent to the Paparoa National Park from which 1 megatonne of coal will be extracted per year for the next 20 years – Pike River Coal Ltd has announced that it has found additional coal in the national park

said nothing to say in regard to the World Commission on Protected areas of IUCN’s severe criticism of its intention to investigate mineral resources and mining opportunities in protected conservation areas including our three UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Te Wahi Pounamu-South West New Zealand, Tongariro National Park and the Sub Antarctic Islands

Minster of Conservation Tim Grosser, on 29 August 2009, called for caring New Zealanders to halt their “emotional hysteria” and recognise that conservation land should be mined for minerals and went on to say “Mining in a modern, technological way can have a negligible effect”

Associate Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson, in an interview in “Canterbury Farming” (June 2010 issue now offline) rubished her own department, DOC, suggesting it was incapable of looking after the high country reserves and parks under its control

removed the ability of Auckland to introduce a fuel levy to fund planned public transport upgrades

left electrification of the Auckland rail network up in the air without promised funding commitments and then came through with a dodgy loan scheme and then unilaterally reorganised the local government structure before finally setting about the privatisation-by-stealth model when busting KiwiRail.

removed the programme to make Government Departments ‘carbon neutral’ and also began its first wave of public sector redundancies starting with the Ministry for the Environment which was responsible for the scheme.

set about revamping Auckland governance in a way that is likely to greatly reduce the ‘Environmental Watchdog’ role of the the current Regional Council (since completely fucked it up with the SuperShitty)

took a 0% emissions reduction target to Copenhagen. Yes, seriously, that isn’t a misprint – that was the lower bound of their negotiation platform – then missed the 01/02/10 deadline for commitment to action it had agreed to – meanwhile 55 of the 80 countries which attended did make the deadline

secretly cancelled the internationally recognised scheme for the mandatory labelling of exotic woods to ensure the timber has not been taken from rain forests in direct contradiction of its own statements made at the 13th World Forestry Congress in Argentina

gave the Department of Conservsation $1.7 million to further develop commercial activities on DOC land and started an “off set” plan allowing company’s to damage the conservation estate if they agree to improve land elsewhere – no monitoring regime has been suggested on put in place

announced a $1.69 million industry subsidy to kick start marine farming without identifying no-go areas nor putting in place a consultation process for individiuals, communities, and other general coastal users

was forced to release documents under the Official Information Act which confirm that DOC has “giving up” on ecologically valuable high-country land in the Mackenzie Basin because of funding cuts. The released documents cite “statements made by ministers”, “diminishing funding” and the Government’s new high-country policies as reasons for the changed stance – the comments from DOC were made after Land Information New Zealand (Linz), which manages the tenure review process, ignored DOC’s previous conservation recommendations for the farms

used former National Party minister and current director of Open Country Cheese – a company convicted of filthy farming practices and found by the supreme court to be a dodgy employer – Wyatt Creech to head up an enquiry into Environment Canterbury which had been standing up the dairy farmers’ demands for more and more water resources and less and less regulation. The Creech report recommended the Environmental Canterbury be sacked and replaced with government appointments and the voters of Canterbury do without democracy until the water situation had been resolved. The Canterbury area holds 50 percent of New Zealand’s fresh water reserves and 50 percent of the water required for hyrdo energy. The Creech report said Environmental Centerbury put too much focus on the environment.

Funded Government-owned company Solid Energy runs an essay competition entitled “ The role of coal in sustainable energy solutions for New Zealand” for school children. First prize is a trip to New Zealand’s largest coal customer, China.

Pressed on with PR bullshit about how New Zealand’s environment would profit from mining national parks, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson says.

Department of Conservation director-general Al Morrison said the conservation estate created “opportunities to do a whole lot for a lot of different people . . . we’ve got to get away from this idea that somehow we have to protect one-third of New Zealand for a certain constituency and put it in a jar of formaldehyde and leave it.”

Totally reversed gains made in the protection of National Parks and other high-value conservation areas in the South Island.

commenced a divide-and-rule strategy by attempting to paint New Zealanders interested in protecting the environment as outside of the “mainstream” and in defence of the fact that the media is catching to its bare-faced lies in the lead up to the 2008 election.

Carried on with more lies by talking about modern mining like that at Reefton being carried out by Oceana Golds as being like “key hole surgery”

Supported the Commissioner for the Environment’s decision to delay the release of a report into the ramifications for climate change in regard to lignite mining and proposals to convert the lignite into diesel.

Employed financial sleight of hand in shuffling funds towards business interests and away from community groups looking to protect the environment

Made more empty promises when a report showing that a third of New Zealand lankes have poor quality water is released.

Ignored the findings by attacking the messenger when a World Health Organisation report confirms that New Zealand’s main centres have the worst air in Australasia and Auckland is the most polluted with twice the concentration of damaging airborne particles as Sydney.

Studiously ignored so as to take piss about dire warnings concerning the quality of drinking water in Reidstone.

Didn’t mention in its 100% Pure promotions that visitors to the Kerikeri Basin near the Stone Store – one of Northland’s iconic tourism and heritage sites – could come face-to-face with warning signs telling them the water is polluted.

Put tourism operators in Akaroa at risk by refusing to make the harbour a marine reserve . . . and then rubs salt into their wounds

Done nothing after the United Nations finds that National Ltd™’s targets for reducing pollution are not consistent with the measures put in place to achieve those targets:

Attempted to defend the Emissions Trading Scheme from comparisons with the Australian model while Environment Minister Nick Smith indicates there’s little chance of the two schemes being integrated any time soon.

Then further slowed down the implentation of New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme:

Allowed major retailers to reap the benefits of its earlier and secret decision to abandon the mandatory labelling of exotic woods after it is found that the retailers are contributing to the death of native Australian forests despite an independent, year-long investigation which finds otherwise.

tried to keep a meeting between John Key and mininng company Anadarko’s boss secret. The company is responsble for a massive oil spill and is looking to to start drilling off New Zealand soon.

Continued to ignore yet more evidence of farmers failing to comply with environmental regulations

handed over $400 million to farmers to extend water storage and allow for more land to be used for dairy farms. No mention or provision is made for additional protections required to deal with the increased pollution.

Didn’t point out in its 100% Pure promotion that tourists (and locals) should avoid the Opihi River along State Highway 1 because of the risk of exposure to toxins from phormidium.

Didn’t point out in its 100% Pure promotions that tourists arriving at New Zealand’s “nuclear free” sea ports will be sharing the environment with up to 5,000 tonnes of radioactive yellow cake uranium.

Kept stringing us along even after Next thing, New Zealand received the 2nd place Fossil Award for “proposing the most Flexible Mechanism imaginable with no oversight or review. Bring on the wild west. They want to be able to use any market mechanisms they wish with absolutely no oversight or international review! There would be no way to ensure that the units from one mechanism have not been sold two or three times to another such mechanism. This would likely unleash a wild west carbon market with double or triple counting of offsets and a likely increase of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.”

Pressed on with additional policies that move away from the protection of the environment towards exploitation

Limited , as part of its effort to cash-in on the environment, access to some of New Zealand’s most endangered species and isolated islands only to those who those who contribute financially displacing conservation staff and scientists.

National Ltd™ lies when it says New Zealand has the environmental laws and regulations to control oil and gas development on the continental shelf because thereis no equivalent of the Resource Management Act to control oil and gas activity outside of the territorial sea (12 nautical miles offshore).http://www.eco.org.nz/key-issues/oceans.html

lied when it had already agreed coastal plans to allow marine farming consent holders in the Waikato and Marlborough to move from mussel farming to finfish farming without considering the additional environmental effects imposed.

Put short-term business interests ahead of long-term consequences to New Zealand’s environment, particularly biodiversity by allowing damage in one area on the condition that it be “off set” in another creating a dangerous precedent in that such a provisin means that one part of biodiversity can be wrecked in return for “protecting” an area that was never under threat anyway.

Promoted proposals that include include a plant producing about 2 billion litres of diesel per year, using at least 12 million tonnes of lignite per year and another producing 3 billion litres using 12-17 million tonnes of lignite annually. A further project would produce by 2016 1.2 tonnes of the nitrogenous fertiliser, urea, using 2 million tonnes of lignite annually.

Documents obtained under the Official Information Act have revealed that DOC was intending to turn down Meridian (application to buils a damn on the Mohikinui River) and believed “the public conservation land within the Mokihinui River has such high value that it is most unlikely to be suitable for exchange at all.http://www.eco.org.nz/key-issues/energy.html

An independent report on the PSA virus outbreak was commissioned by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) following the devastation caused by the virus in the Bay of Plenty orchards with an estimated cost of $400 million. The report found New Zealand’s biosecurity system is fundamentally flawed and there is no way of identifying how the virus got into New Zealand and, thus, no way of preventing it from happening again.http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/7224595/Govt-ignored-biosecurity-warning-Labour

Documents pried from National Ltd™ under the Official Information Act show that senior government officials with serious concerns over projects in the Mackenze Basin and Waitaki Valley and hands out $180,000 of taxpayer cash. The decision to hand over the money was made by Nick Smith. More than half the cash went to environmental consultants – including about $88,000 to Ecologic, a firm run by Dr Smith’s friend Guy Salmon. Mr Salmon is also linked to the National Party ginger group the BlueGreens. The money trail shows: Ecologic consultant Guy Salmon: received $88,010 (includes $682 in restaurant and bar charges), Whanganui-based consultant Richard Thompson received $13,130 (includes $149 in restaurant and bar bills), the Environment Defence Society received $2256. Other expenditure included: restaurant and bar charges (at May, June and August meetings): $5495, and $30,800 for the production of two reports.http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7327570/Money-for-mates-claims-to-be-probed-says-PM

National Ltd™ instructs its delegates at the world’s largest conservation conference, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s conference in Korea, to oppose any further measures to protect Maui and Hector dolphins in defiance of 117 other countries and 460 environmental organisations requesting New Zealand ban gill and trawl nets in waters up to 100 metres deep.http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/116332/nz-votes-against-protecting-dolphins

A High Court decision says the effects on climate change cannot be considered under the Resource Management Act (RMA) as updated by National Ltd™. The Court decision came after an appeal was made against an earlier decision to allow Australian-owned mining company Bathurst Resources (also known as Buller Coal) to build a 200-hectare open-cast coal mine on the plateau and mine 80 million tonnes of coal that, when burnt, will release about 200 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/publications/media-release/forest-bird-disappointed-climate-change-ruling

Submissions to a select committee considering the Emissions Trading Scheme by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Jan Wright’s, and those of thers, to a select committee reviewing the Emissions Trading Scheme are ignored resulting in a Trading Scheme which “will have very, very limited effectiveness and has locked in subsidies to to the worst emitters indefinitely.”http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/118536/commissioner-dismayed-by-emissions-report

An international study measuring countries’ loss of native vegetation, native habitat, number of endangered species, and water quality reported in the journal PloS One shows New Zealand is 18th worst out of 189 nations when it came to preserving its natural surroundings. John Key remains relaxed.http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010440

Pulls out of Kyoto just weeks after the OECD reports that global greenhouse gas emissions could rise 50 per cent by 2050 without more ambitious climate policies, as fossil fuels continue to dominate the energy mix.

The use of the “fraking” technique in oil and gas drilling/exploration is given the go-ahead by National Ltd™ despite the Parliamentary Commissioner for the environment pointing out there exists no effective regulations in case of disaster nor the ability to enforce what regulations are available. Instead, monitoring and reporting and adherence to existing legislation is being left entirely up to foreign-owned multinationals doing the drilling.http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10850431

Or did you not? It is overwhelming this, but also impressive and convincing – but what about the lying, the denials, the hole in the brain stuff, which comes on top of all this, be it re Dotcom, a police report on Banks and donations, on Dotcom, the GCSB, helicopter rides to the largest mansion in the country, a new resident of highest level “net value”, this government is chasing desperately to attract to come here, but one was not “noticed” living in Key’s own electorate, and much, much, much else, which KEY and BANKS could NOT remember?

You are right on a lot of environmental matters, but the list can be extended much, much further, I am convinced! Economic lies, financial lies, employment lies, social welfare lies, education lies, a two tongued High Priest leading the gang, and now thinking out more agendas of manipulation and lies, while on a group of islands half way to the US, that is what is a real, real worry. But too few notice. Head in the sand stuff, follow Shearer and stick it deep, or better, where it is warm and gets a brownish heading, if you push too deep.

BLip does his own origional list, posts updates first here (ie original), it is directly pertinent to the purpose of this site, and moderators can easily verify it – ie we know that we won’t have legal issues arising from it.

Making assertions of fact published on this site requires that we are sure that we are covered under the defamation laws. The requirements for our care are low for politicians and political parties. They are a lot higher for non-politicians including public servants.

If an author decides to write a post making assertions of fact about anyone it is one thing, because they will usually get a check beforehand. But for a commentator to do it requires a very high degree of clarity for us to allow it.

In another sign the City Rail Link is getting ever closer, Auckland Transport have also produced this information highlighting the impacts the construction will have on the surrounding area for users. There are a couple of significant impacts with the… ...

There are many good reasons for not sending NZ troops to support the US campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq. Thursday 5 March, there will be vigils to express opposition to the deployment: No military deployment in Iraq: Nationwide… ...

This morning's Herald has not one but two opinion pieces on the Northland by-election. First, here's Bryan Rudman: The March 28 Northland byelection had the makings of a real nailbiter if Labour had stood aside and made it a two-horse… ...

A Heart Foundation billboard depicting 'NZ's biggest killer' has been defaced with a sketch of Prime Minister John Key. The billboard aimed at raising awareness of heart disease as "New Zealand's biggest killer" will now have to be taken… ...

. . In his recent statement to Parliament, Dear Leader Key made this commitment to the people of New Zealand when announcing that troops would be sent to Iraq; “The deployment will be reviewed after nine months and will be… ...

Brian Leyland has written an op-ed in the herald that is so comically wrong it’s hard not to ignore. Every single one of the 13 paragraphs contains (often basic) factual errors or opinion masquerading as fact. So I thought I’d… ...

by Phil DuncanMoney can’t buy me love, went the old Beatles song. Perhaps Mana and the left currents within it should’ve taken the Beatles’ point to heart.Although the sections of the left that supported Mana and the InternetMana… ...

Press Release – iPredict Voters in Ireland are overwhelmingly expected to vote to allow same-sex marriage in a referendum on 22 May , according to the combined wisdom of the 8000+ registered traders on New Zealands predictions market, iPredict.… ...

Look, I know you are all fired up about this Asian foreign driver thing. But just stop it. Now. You are the last nation on Earth to be complaining about foreign drivers. You are the most reckless, selfish and unthinking drivers… ...

The quashing of the convictions of Teina Pora for the rape and murder of Susan Burdett in 1992 has shone a spotlight once again on a major gap in the New Zealand justice system. To all intents and purposes, access… ...

A report from economics consultancy Econometrics estimates that New Zealand could save $10 million per lunar month if all the work that goes into solving sudoku puzzles were automated. The setting of sudoku is already largely computerised. If the solving… ...

Economic Policies for an Incoming Labour Government By Bryan Gould and George Tait EdwardsPart 2 of 9: Stimulating Wealth Creation If we are to find that better way, we must clearly understand the failures and deficiencies of what has gone… ...

Income Equality Aotearoa New Zealand Inc. Closing the Gap MEDIA RELEASE: 3rd March 2015 “We are delighted to see that the politicians have recognised the greed and selfishness embodied in their initial response to their remuneration increases and are now… ...

So there I was, confidently predicting that Winston Peters wouldn’t risk the humiliation of losing in the Northland by-election… At the end of the day, perhaps the most important point is that Winston Peters really doesn’t like losing. He won’t put himself forward as… ...

Guest Post by Ryan Mearns, Generation ZeroAs we outlined yesterday Auckland Council’s transport budget options in the Long Term Plan offered a false choice. Build everything in the Auckland Plan Network at the cost of finding an extra $300 million a… ...

New Zealanders have been going to the polls for the better part of 150 years. And over that time, voting has changed dramatically. For example, drunkenness, bribery and double voting are no longer considered just part of the day! Thankfully!… ...

Welcome to Australia, where if you don't like the government's racist refugee deportation policies, their airline collaborator will ban you from flying:Qantas has banned a Melbourne man from flying with them after he asked to be removed from a flight… ...

The development of new knowledge and technology is growing at a faster rate than ever before and successful businesses generally have to remain at the cutting edge of their industries to survive. We are now operating in a global, interconnected… ...

One of the predictions about climate change is that climate change-induced drought and famine will lead to more wars. Sadly, it turns out that what is happening in Syria is one of those wars:Drawing one of the strongest links yet… ...

“Do we want to be a society that is supportive, that is inclusive and compassionate, where it is acknowledged that not all can prosper, where those who are most vulnerable, most in need of help, are not seen as lazy… ...

Howie Tamati, sole Maori councillor on the New Plymouth District Council, sees the granting of Maori wards on local councils as a step in the right direction, “not the right answer but a start” (Insight, Radio NZ, March 1st). He… ...

This is a really good post on Christchurch’s future cycling infrastructure. I don’t have a huge amount to add to it, but would suggest you read it, if you prefer your cycling analysis to be backed up by research rather… ...

Gallant Deeds: New Zealand SAS troopers returning from a bitter fire-fight at the Kabul Intercontinental Hotel, Afghanistan, June 2011. The NZ Defence Force is fanatical in its determination to control the totality of information emerging from the theatres in which its… ...

I was wondering why there’s been so much media about the $168,000 rude cake on Facebook HRT finding, and then I read the Tribunal decision which you can find here. It is very long, and amazing in a way that can’t… ...

As readers know, John Key has decided to change the law to change a proposed 5% pay increase for MPs into a 1-2% increase instead. First, this is really smart politics. People hate paying MPs anything, so paying them less… ...

Cry Havoc! For the first time in many years a major New Zealand Christian denomination has come out in support of military action. But have the Catholic Bishops interpreted their Church's "Just War Doctrine" correctly? (Graphic: Warmonger by John… ...

This bulletin inventories reactions to recent revelations made about Wiilie Soon's relationship with the fossil fuel industry while employed by the Smithsonian Institution at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. This bulletin also functions as a supplementary reading list to Dana's recently posted… ...

Let’s be clear: constitutionally, the Executive decides where and how troops are deployed. John Key did not need Parliament’s approval to go to war. And let’s be clear: Key is going to war. Iraq is at war. Training its… ...

Press Release – Doctors for Healthy Trade A careful assessment of what could happen to the health of New Zealanders under the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) is needed, say New Zealand doctors. An Australian report Negotiating Healthy Trade in… ...

Press Release – Public Health Association of Australia A report released today by a large team of academics and non-government health organisations reveals that the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) poses risks to the health of Australians in areas such as… ...

Professor Shiba knew that some day he might be captured by the Yamatais – he, who alone knew the secrets of the ancient monster race that would soon rise up to conquer the world. So he patiently stored himself in… ...

Is this for real? Mike Hosking equates jobs, such as his, a talking head with a soldier’s deployment in Iraq? Please tell me this man is joking? Unbelievable. Is this the ‘get some guts’ that Key talks about? Getting guts… ...

by Danios Below, I have reproduced a year-by-year timeline of America’s wars, which reveals something quite interesting: since the United States was founded in 1776, she has been at war during 214 out of her 235 calendar… ...

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery so we were extremely flattered to see Auckland Transport today start using the images below to advertise some of the benefits of the City Rail Link. … ...

Policy Quarterly has just published papers from a symposium on distributional inequality held last June. There are really interesting papers by Geoff Bertram, Phillip Morrison, Bill Rosenberg and Simon Chapple et al which you may want to read for yourself.read&hellip; ...

Bartholomew Leading A broken rib is no big deal. Sure, it hurts like Hell, but three or more broken ribs hurt worse and, snapped and broken and freely moving under the weight and pressure of a 280lb man can… ...

Tony Abbott's visit to New Zealand gave Australian political commentators another excuse to highlight the failings of his leadership, by comparing him with John Key. However, their list of John Key's successes is a little... odd:Key has, with a minimum… ...

The fight against Islamic State is not the fight of the oppressor against the disposed and the poor. Its leaders and disciples are mostly educated and middle class, if not wealthy. It’s the victims in Iraq and Syria who are the poor.read more ...

Share this:

Related

The Privy Council’s decision to quash Teina Pora’s convictions for the rape and murder of Susan Burdett could be the final chapter in a case that should have been closed years ago, Labour’s Justice Spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says. “Teina Pora… ...

The current and previous Revenue Ministers must front up and explain how the child support system had a budget blowout from $30 million to $210 million in just four years, says Labour’s Revenue spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove. “Peter Dunne was Revenue… ...

A review of the way MPs’ pay is set should also look at ways to curb excessive rises in the salaries of public service chief executives, Labour Leader Andrew Little says. “Some of these CEOs have had stratospheric pay increases… ...

The minimum wage rose by 50 cents this month from 14.25 to 14.75. While it’s a small step towards ensuring minimum workers get a fair share, it’s important to remember that real wages only rose 1.5% while productivity rose by… ...

It should seem obvious to employers, private or public, that it’s important to do what you can to retain your best, most experienced staff. They make life easier for you because they’re effective, attentive and often respected by those around… ...

That ban was widely hailed, and spurred efforts in other countries to get similar bans. However, apes are still being exploited, abused and killed, both in captivity and in the wild. Examples of cruelty, neglect and abuse abound. Apes are… ...

The only word to describe the latest building consent figures for Auckland is ‘tragic’, Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says. “Whatever the Government is doing to address the Auckland housing crisis, it is clearly not working. ...

A pest which could create havoc for New Zealand’s horticulture and agriculture sector must be as much a focus for the Government as hunting out fruit flies, Labour’s Biosecurity spokesperson Damien O’Connor says. “While the Ministry for Primary Industries is… ...

Despite new evidence showing that cuts to health spending are costing lives the Government continues to deny the sector is struggling, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says. “Health services in New Zealand are in crisis. ...

When Hekia Parata became aware that the Whangaruru charter school was experiencing major problems her first action was to drop standards by reducing the number of qualified teachers they had to employ, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins has revealed. “Hekia… ...

John Key and Bill English need to be straight with New Zealanders about the damage their failure to diversify the economy is doing, after new figures show export growth plunged due to a collapse in dairy exports, says Grant Robertson.… ...

This week the International Monetary Fund released a report on the wider economic value in closing the gender pay gap. When even the bastions of free-market economics start to raise concerns about gender pay gaps, we have to realise how… ...

Labour will hold National to its promise to increase the support given to new parents of premature, multiple birth and babies born with disabilities, Labour’s paid parental leave campaigner Sue Moroney says. "I am naturally disappointed that after battling for… ...

Steven Joyce’s confession that he can no longer guarantee a pillar-free design for the New Zealand International Convention Centre shows the Government has abandoned its dream of creating an ‘iconic’ ‘world-class’ structure, says Labour Economic Development spokesperson David Clark. “Steven… ...

John Key might want to have a quiet word with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott about Canberra's just-announced crack down on offshore speculators when he visits New Zealand this week, Labour's Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says."Tony Abbott's centre right government… ...

National backbencher Jacqui Dean has spoken out about overseas driver crashes, putting herself at odds with Prime Minister John Key who is on record as saying it’s not a big issue, Labour’s Transport spokesperson Phil Twyford says. “I’m not surprised… ...

Last week I heard two Palestinians speak at Wellington events about the ongoing crisis in their country. Samar Sabawi spoke to a full house about the history of Palestine and gave us a lucid and disturbing account of the situation… ...

An Amnesty International report has once again criticised New Zealand’s track record on looking after our kids, Labour’s Children’s spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says. The annual report, which looks at global human rights abuses highlights not only the fact that high… ...

It is clear that the first draft of the Māori Language Bill was about structures and funding rather than the survival of te reo Māori, Labour’s Māori Development Spokesperson Nanaia Mahuta says. “Labour is pleased that the Minister of Māori… ...

This week the Greens have participated in awareness activity about Manus Island, the refugee camp on an island in Papua New Guinea where Australia dumps asylum seekers. John Key says that he has every confidence in the Australian Government’s claim… ...

James Shaw has been doing a series of blogs on the Election Inquiry into last year’s general election. I thought this was a great opportunity to raise an issue very dear to me – accessible voting. Last year’s general election… ...

Housing will continue to be a big issue in 2015. The latest Consumer Price Index, released last month, shows both good news and bad news on the housing front. After years of being the most expensive place to build a… ...

It is amazing that you can hear the song of the endangered North Island kokako in South Auckland’s Hunua Ranges, less than 50 kms from the central city. A heavy schedule of policy workshops at the Green Party’s Policy… ...

The Cricket World Cup has just opened in New Zealand, and it’s an opportunity for us to shine on the world stage. International sport can be a chance for us to build relationships with other countries, and examine what it… ...

This week it was my privilege to work with Sri Lankan Tamil communities in this country and host Australian journalist and human rights advocate Trevor Grant. I knew a bit about Trevor from his biography but I didn’t know just… ...

The Government is about to progress the final stages of the Animal Welfare Amendment bill. This will be our last opportunity to get changes made to improve the bill to ensure a better outcome for animals. I have put forwards… ...

Access to buildings is a big issue for many New Zealanders. It looks like that, due to the hard work and persistence of people in the disability community, the Government may finally be starting to take access to buildings seriously.… ...

The Green Party today called on the New Zealand Superannuation Fund (the Fund) to divest from fossil fuels, starting immediately with coal. The call was accompanied with a new report, Making money from a climate catastrophe: The case for divesting… ...

The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming Labour Party revenue spokesperson, Clayton Cosgrove’s, challenge to former and current Revenue Ministers Peter Dunne and Todd McClay over the IRD’s child support cost blowout. Yesterday the Taxpayers’ Union alerted ...

Today 350 Aotearoa has launched a petition calling for TSB Bank to make a commitment to being fossil fuel free. The petition comes after TSB Bank, the Taranaki community-owned bank, last week announced it had written down its remaining $53.9… ...

Voters in Ireland are overwhelmingly expected to vote to allow same-sex marriage in a referendum on 22 May , according to the combined wisdom of the 8000+ registered traders on New Zealand’s predictions market, iPredict. Elsewhere in Europe, the ...

Susan Burdett was raped and murdered in her home in March 1992. In May 1994 Teina Pora (“the Appellant”) was convicted of the rape and murder of Ms Burdett and the aggravated burglary of her home. In 1999 the New… ...

Peace vigils calling for increased humanitarian assistance and diplomatic support for Middle East peace processes, and opposing the military deployment to Iraq, will be held around the country from Hokianga to Dunedin at 5pm on Thursday, 5 March. ...

The Privy Council’s upholding of the Teina Pora appeal is further evidence New Zealand needs a Criminal Cases Review Panel, Dean of the University of Canterbury’s School of Law, Associate Professor Chris Gallavin says. ...

The Privy Council’s upholding of the Teina Pora appeal is further evidence New Zealand needs a Criminal Cases Review Panel, Dean of the University of Canterbury’s School of Law, Associate Professor Chris Gallavin says. ...

A careful assessment of what could happen to the health of New Zealanders under the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) is needed, say New Zealand doctors. An Australian report Negotiating Healthy Trade in Australia: Health Impact Assessment ...

Youth organisation, Generation Zero, is today launching a report - Fix Our City: An analysis of the Transport Budget in the 2015 - 2025 Long Term Plan - that proposes that Auckland Council focuses on a transport budget that prioritises… ...

“We are delighted to see that the politicians have recognised the greed and selfishness embodied in their initial response to their remuneration increases and are now proposing to amend the appropriate legislation. About time! ” ...